TX governors poll shows Perry leading

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Texas Gov. Rick Perry leads the GOP and Bill White is favored by Democrats for state and local voters just one week before the March 2 primary, according to a new poll commissioned by KXAN.

The most important issues facing voters both across the state and in local counties are education, job creation and border security, the poll shows.

On the Republican ticket, incumbent Governor Rick Perry maintains a healthy lead with 44% support from likely Republican voters. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison follows with 30% support and Debra Medina receives 14%. There are still 12% of Republican voters who are undecided. Those undecided voters are a coveted group, as a candidate cannot win the primary without more than 50% of the vote.

On the Democratic ticket, there is also the chance of a run-off in April. Former Houston Mayor Bill White leads businessman Farouk Shami 43% to 22% respectively. The other five Democrats on the ticket split 8% of the vote and more than a quarter, 27%, of Democratic voters remain undecided.

When it comes to support from men and women, Hutchison gets 34% of the women's vote compared to 27% of the men's. Perry finds more support from men with 45% of the vote there and 43% support from women. Debra Medina remains in the teens in both categories with 15% support from Republican men and 12% support from Republican women.

Farouk Shami is getting more support from Democratic women with 25% of their vote compared to 20% support from men. White is getting 47% support from men and 39% support from women.

The poll also includes issues that are most important to voters in the upcoming election. In the statewide poll, a quarter of voters said border security is their top priority. However, among likely voters in Travis and Williamson County, education tops the list of influential issues.

The KXAN Austin News Poll was fielded by Seattle-based Constituent Dynamics . The survey was taken February 19th through February 21st and included 1,328 registered voters who are planning to vote in the March 2nd primary.

Most Influential Issues (Statewide)

Border Security   25%

Education           19%

Job Creation        16%

Lower Taxes        12%

Economic Growth  8%

Transportation       10%

Most Influential Issues (Travis and Williamson County)

Education             23%

Job Creation          20%

Border Security     17%

Economic Growth  11%

Lower Taxes          10%

Transportation         9%

Other                     10%